Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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49 OCT. 4, 2025 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY TODD D. BURLAGE A s a unanimous All-American and the national defensive player of the year as an Irish senior in 2023, then a consensus All-American and the Notre Dame Defensive MVP as a graduate student in 2024, sterling safety Xavier Watts was expected to be an early- round draft pick last spring. So, when Watts went unselected through the first two rounds in April, some NFL franchise seemed poised to grab the steal of the draft. Based on early returns, the Atlanta Falcons hit the mark. Undeterred by his selection free- fall, Watts turned his draft snub into personal motivation, then became an opening-day starter for Atlanta. And now, he has already become one of the most impactful players on its defense through the first three games this sea- son. Through Sept. 21, Watts had 17 total tackles (15 solo) with 3 passes defended, to go along with a fourth-quarter inter- ception that helped the Falcons clinch a 22-6 road win in Week 2 over the Min- nesota Vikings Sept. 14. Excited following his first career NFL interception, Watts gave the Vikings' fans a "friendly" thanks-for-coming, drive-home-safely hand-wave sendoff. "I had to let the crowd know that it was time to go home," Watts said of his celebration. "I was feeling myself a little bit, a big-time moment, glad we got the win." The hits and tackles continue to come for Watts as he quickly becomes more comfortable and productive in his start- ing rookie role. More recently — unfor- tunately in a 30-0 Atlanta loss to the Carolina Panthers Sept. 21 — Watts tied for the team lead with 9 tackles. Also of note after the game, Watts had still not been credited with a missed tackle this season. None of this is surprising for one of the surest tacklers and best ball hawks to ever play in the Notre Dame defensive secondary. Watts finished his Irish career with 188 total tackles, and he also tied for third all-time with 13 career intercep- tions. The Minneapolis native remains one of only 17 former Irish players to earn consensus All-America honors twice. Veteran Pro Bowl teammate Jessie Bates III — who starts alongside Watts at safety in the Falcons' secondary — has taken Watts under his wing, and pro- vided this encouragement on live-mic to his understudy in Atlanta's season opener, and Watts' first career game. "You good, you good," Bates told his 23-year-old teammate. "Keep being you, bro. You're gonna change the game, bro." Watts finished the game with 6 tackles and 2 passes de- fended, making him the first Falcons rookie since 1994 to record 5 or more tackles and 2 or more passes broken up in his NFL debut. Much improvement and production remain for Watts. But through the early going of this season and his professional career, the heights seem limitless for this draft steal. ✦ FIGHTING IRISH HEADLINERS Joe Alt (Played at Notre Dame from 2021-23), OT, Los Angeles Chargers, NFL A star in the making, Alt produced his highest overall grade and run-blocking grade of the season from Pro Football Focus with an 80.0 and 79.0, respectively, in a 23-20 win over the Denver Broncos Sept. 21. The North Oaks, Minn., native, did allow his first sack of the season against the Broncos but still managed a 75.6 grade from PFF as a pass blocker. A season-ending knee injury to Chargers starting left tackle Rashawn Slater in August forced Alt to move from right tackle — where he started as a rookie last year — to Slater's spot on the left side, the position Alt played at Notre Dame. Benjamin Morrison (2022-24), CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, NFL The numbers won't jump off the stat sheet, but the former Irish Freshman All- American is beginning to carve his niche in the NFL after he played 18 snaps off the bench in a 29-27 win over the New York Jets Sept. 21. The rookie recorded his first 2 career tackles in the game, including 1 for loss, and allowed 2 receptions on 2 targets in pass defense for only 5 yards. Steady performances such as this one should put the second-round draft pick and Phoenix native in line for increased playing time and bigger statistical num- bers in the weeks to come. Kyren Williams (2019-21), RB, Los Angeles Rams, NFL The St. Louis native continued to shine as a dual-threat player when he tallied 20 carries for 94 yards (4.7 yards per attempt) and caught 2 passes for 18 yards in a 33-26 loss to the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles Sept. 21. One of Williams' 2 receptions went for a 10-yard touchdown in the third quarter, the 33rd touchdown of Williams' NFL career. Through three games, he had 226 rushing yards with 1 touchdown and 35 receiving yards with 1 score. Falcons Rookie Safety Xavier Watts Proving The Draft Doubters Wrong I R I S H I N T H E P R O S Watts became the first Falcons rookie since 1994 to notch 5 or more tackles and 2 or more passes broken up in his NFL debut. PHOTO COURTESY ATLANTA FALCONS